The owners of a 3 year old Great Dane took him to the vet because he was groaning and trying to throw up. After x-rays showed a mass of something in his stomach, the vet decided to operate. The surgery progressed something like a magician pulling hankies out of his pocket as the vet pulled sock after sock out of the dog's stomach. It was 43 in all pictured above. Fortunately the doggie came through just fine. Man, I'd hate to have to foot the bill for that though!

According to the Daily Mail, Bump Art is all the rage. This involves pregnant women painting their baby bumps. The Guardian interviews professional bump artist Julia Francis who says that "around 70% of women choose nature-based ideas such as flowers and leaves, a small percentage go for something 'really bizarre', and she has even done a few planets."

Well, it sure beats placenta art. I guess us men can always join in the fun by painting our food-baby bumps.

Rumination is the practice of bringing food back up from the stomach after it's been swallowed, rechewing it, and then swallowing it again. When cows do this, it's called "chewing the cud." When humans do it habitually, it's considered to be an eating disorder. The Wikipedia article on Rumination Syndrome tells us:

The disorder has been historically documented as affecting only infants, young children, and people with cognitive disabilities (where the prevalence is as high as 10% in institutionalized patients with various mental disabilities). Today it is being diagnosed in increasing numbers of otherwise healthy adolescents and adults, though there is a lack of awareness of the condition by doctors, patients and the general public.

It is, indeed, a curious fact that not less than fourteen physicians are known to have been habitual ruminators. This is especially interesting in the light of the statistical evidence of the extreme rarity of this condition.

Kanner's list of ruminating physicians begins with a 17th century medical student who reported that rumination was "sweeter than honey and accompanied by a more delightful relish." The most famous name on the list is the 19th century French physician Edouard Brown-Séquard who developed a rumination problem after conducting a series of self-experiments in which he repeatedly swallowed a sponge and tried to vomit it back up.

Kanner's list was written in 1936, so it's possible there are now more ruminating physicians that could be added to it. Why physicians would ruminate in greater number than members of other professions, I have no idea.

In Japan, Microsoft and Burger King decided to celebrate the release of Windows 7 with a seven patty high burger. For only 777 yen (about $9) you can purchase this five inch tall, 2500 calorie burger. Daily Mail